The present invention relates to an arrangement of a rear lid or the like on the body frame of a motor vehicle, particularly for vehicles with a storable top structure, having a pivoted mounting of the rear lid by which the rear lid can be swung up into a vertical loading position around an axis which extends close to one of its ends, with accessibility to a two-part storage-space arrangement through an opening in the frame which is freed when the rear lid is swung up, a partial cross-section of the opening in the frame being associated with each of the two storage-space regions.
An arrangement of the above-described type is shown in German Patent Document A1 37 33 892 in which the rear lid is pivoted along its rear end to the body frame. Since the rear lid is bent downwards in its rear lengthwise region, it can be swung up into a loading position in which it is directed upward behind the rear end. When the rear lid is open, the storage opening which is defined by the corresponding bent body frame is accessible from above and, with limitations, from behind. A multipartite, removable roof structure of the vehicle can be placed in the storage space, after which a predominant part of the storage space is still available as boot or luggage space. The loading of the available luggage space is, however, very cumbersome and difficult when the roof structure is present in the storage space, since the horizontal lengthwise region of the opening in the frame is substantially blocked by parts of the roof structure which are placed therein.
An object of the present invention is to provide an improved arrangement of a rear lid on the body frame of a motor vehicle of the initially described type in such a manner that, with the roof lid swung up into the erect loading position, relatively easy accessibility to both storage-space regions of the storage space can be assured.
This and other objects are achieved by the present invention which provides an arrangement of a rear lid on the body frame of a motor vehicle having a storable top structure, comprising a pivoted mounting of the rear lid by which the rear lid is swingable up into a vertical loading position around an axis which extends substantially at one end of the rear lid. A two-part storage space having an opening in the body frame is provided that is exposed when the rear lid is swung up to allow access to two regions of the two-part storage space, a partial cross-section of the opening in the body frame being respectively associated with each of the two storage-space regions. A slide-swing mounting is provided on the body frame and is coupled to the rear lid such that the rear lid is movable into the loading position in which the partial cross-sections of the opening of the body frame are respectively conveniently accessible only from one side of the swung up rear lid.
Based on the arrangement of the rear lid in accordance with the present invention, there can structurally be provided a position for loading in which the upward-swung rear lid itself only slightly interferes with storing in both of the regions of the storage space.
In principle, the present invention can be used advantageously in instances in which the load in one storage-space region would interfere with access to the second storage-space region. This applies, in particular, to articles of equipment which are generally carried along in the vehicle and placed in a storage-space region. Such articles of equipment may, for instance, be a spare wheel, tool kit, warning sign, first-aid kit, spare gasoline can, or the like, access to which should be possible regardless of the condition of loading of the trunk space.
With storage-space regions arranged one behind the other, the front storage-space region can advantageously be used as a place for the storing of a collapsible top-into which the collapsible top can be swung in a known manner around a horizontal transverse axis of the vehicle. In this case, the rear lid also represents the covering for the stored collapsible top, so that a storage well cover can be dispensed with.
Depending on the purpose of use, in certain embodiments the storage-space regions are divided from each other by a partition. This is true, in particular, when one of the storage spaces is a wet space, for instance a top storage well.
In order to assure a high degree of comfort, certain embodiments of the invention provide kinematically positive swing-slide guidance of the rear lid.
The upward swung rear lid itself only slightly impairs access to the two regions of the storage space when plate-shaped and therefore no large bends from its main plane are present, in accordance with certain embodiment of the invention.
By a tapering of the rear lid in the region of its hinged end, the space required by the upward swung rear lid in the region of the opening in the frame is further reduced in certain embodiments.
In order to permit an upward swinging from the rear of the vehicle in the manner customary in connection with rear lids, the rear lid is preferably swingable around the axis which extends close to its front end.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.